Projects / Programmes
Interreligious Dialogue - a Basis for Coexisting Diversity in the Light of Migration and the Refugee Crisis
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 6.11.00 |
Humanities |
Theology |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| H002 |
Humanities |
Theology |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 6.03 |
Humanities |
Philosophy, Ethics and Religion |
inter-religious dialogue, religious peace building, woman's voices, intercultural theology, migrations, religijski pluralizem, overcoming intolerance.
Researchers (11)
Organisations (3)
Abstract
Religion plays a complex role in modern conflicts, serving as both justification for violence and an inspiration and possibility for peace. With the world becoming increasingly interdependent as a result of globalization, migration has led to more interaction between different cultures and faiths, fueling such theories as Samuel Huntington’s Clash of Civilizations. The foundation of the proposed project, in the context of contemporary migrations, is the question of the importance of cultivation of an active, sincere interreligious dialogue that recognizes and breaks down negative stereotypes and prejudices, raises the level of tolerance, respect and strengthens mutual understanding both in the everyday life of individuals of different religions and spiritualities as well as at the hierarchical institutional religious levels. In particular, we will focus on the ethics of interdependence and the empowerment (of an individual and society) according to interreligious dialogue and through it. The latter can be understood as a pressing step in the evolution of interhuman and interreligious relations. In a broader context, we will explore different ways and forms of interreligious dialogue. We will analyze theoretical frameworks of relevant authors (Wilfred Cantwell Smith, Hans Küng, Mikhail Bakhtin, Roberto Unger, Maura O'Neill, Rusmir Mahmutćehajić, Ivo Marković, Catherine Cornille, Marianne Moyaert...) both in global and local scientific areas. We will try to formulate an appropriate model of interreligious dialogue in the Slovenian socio-religious area, and to draw attention to the specifics of this territory. In addition, within the framework of religious ethics, we will seek the possible ways of resolving and transforming religious conflicts in the Balkans (with the emphasis on Slovenia and BIH). The reason why we will also include BiH in the project is the fact that BiH has the experience of religious dialogue and post-war peacebuilding, and that their Islamic Community is the second largest religious community in Slovenia, whose members are mostly Bosniaks. They draw their models and patterns for the interreligious dialogue from BiH and they implement them in the Slovenian territory. Recognizing and understanding these models and patterns is essential in order to overcome interreligious disagreements and potential conflicts. Alongside the exploration of different ways and forms of interreligious dialogue in Slovenia and BiH, the phenomenon of the so-called ”women's religious peacebuilding” and the importance of positive contribution of women’s voices as a “missing link” in the interreligious dialogue will also be analised. From this perspective, the project will expose the urgency of the inter-religious dialogue and the necessity of knowing and understanding the (religious) “Other” and the »Different«. Because religions have so often marginalized the »Other«, who is seen as different and inferior, dialogue becomes a way of empowering way of seeing them as humane and faithful. Dialogue can therefore lead to the mending of difficult, even utterly broken, relationships. That's why the so called religious »awakening« of the individual is needed. This virtue is forming when the individual is active in an inter-religious dialogue and when there is a mutual understanding of the religious »limits«. Nevertheless, this establishes our mutual moral responsibility. In the framework of the research project, the interreligious dialogue will also be understood as a form of moral dialogue. At the same time, we will also focus on the theological-philosophical aspects of the importance and possibilities of communication in the interreligious dialogue.
Significance for science
On one hand, interreligious dialogue in Europe is more developed and dynamic than ever before, and on the other hand, interreligious relations, with the rise of nationalisms and in the shadow of the refugee crisis, are under strong pressure and are being the victims of rough politicization. Critical understanding of the dynamics and different contexts of interreligious dialogue in Slovenia and BIH, and of the obstacle to the kind of dialogue that this project will explore and explain, is crucial for identifying the best opportunities for the success of dialogue and facilitating life in religious plurality. The historical contextualization of the topic will ensure the necessary treatment of the problem in the synchronous and diachronic perspectives and, thus, it will contribute to the extremely neglected field of the history of interreligious relations in Slovenia. The results of the research project will also cover the original contribution to religious science, especially with the view that, taking into account the perspective of moral and intellectual virtues, the research will give an original view of the participants in a dialogue and will contribute to overcoming violence, with an emphasis on religion and religious communities as some of the agents in the modern world. In this segment, the research will be an original contribution to the contemporary theory of interreligious dialogue and a contribution to the formulation of wider inter-religious peace-building policies. Importance of the project results for the development of religious sciences in Slovenia: The field of»(women) religious peace building« is in Slovenia a pioneer field that has not yet found its place in the academic scientific circles and is a virtually unexplored and unknown area awaiting more thorough tackling and development. Also, the study programmes of Slovene universities do not include any direct contents dedicated to the question of women’s voices and thair positive contribution to interreligious dialogue and religious peacebuilding. The results of the project will represent an original and important contribution to theology and philosophy of dialogue; they will establish new views on the issues of dialogue, intersubjectivity, tolerance, global ethos, overcoming moral disagreement between cultures, interreligious and interfaith dialogue etc. Project results would bring the possibility of entering the world network of religious, theologicalsciences, and would also help to apply the ethic model of equal coexistance and cultivation of religious tolerance and peace on the Slovene social and religious sphere. Through this project we will be able to join in international exchanges (bilateral and research visits, as well as visits by renowned foreign researchers and teachers).
search visits, as well as visits by renowned foreign researchers and teachers).
Significance for the country
On one hand, interreligious dialogue in Europe is more developed and dynamic than ever before, and on the other hand, interreligious relations, with the rise of nationalisms and in the shadow of the refugee crisis, are under strong pressure and are being the victims of rough politicization. Critical understanding of the dynamics and different contexts of interreligious dialogue in Slovenia and BIH, and of the obstacle to the kind of dialogue that this project will explore and explain, is crucial for identifying the best opportunities for the success of dialogue and facilitating life in religious plurality. The historical contextualization of the topic will ensure the necessary treatment of the problem in the synchronous and diachronic perspectives and, thus, it will contribute to the extremely neglected field of the history of interreligious relations in Slovenia. The results of the research project will also cover the original contribution to religious science, especially with the view that, taking into account the perspective of moral and intellectual virtues, the research will give an original view of the participants in a dialogue and will contribute to overcoming violence, with an emphasis on religion and religious communities as some of the agents in the modern world. In this segment, the research will be an original contribution to the contemporary theory of interreligious dialogue and a contribution to the formulation of wider inter-religious peace-building policies. Importance of the project results for the development of religious sciences in Slovenia: The field of»(women) religious peace building« is in Slovenia a pioneer field that has not yet found its place in the academic scientific circles and is a virtually unexplored and unknown area awaiting more thorough tackling and development. Also, the study programmes of Slovene universities do not include any direct contents dedicated to the question of women’s voices and thair positive contribution to interreligious dialogue and religious peacebuilding. The results of the project will represent an original and important contribution to theology and philosophy of dialogue; they will establish new views on the issues of dialogue, intersubjectivity, tolerance, global ethos, overcoming moral disagreement between cultures, interreligious and interfaith dialogue etc. Project results would bring the possibility of entering the world network of religious, theologicalsciences, and would also help to apply the ethic model of equal coexistance and cultivation of religious tolerance and peace on the Slovene social and religious sphere. Through this project we will be able to join in international exchanges (bilateral and research visits, as well as visits by renowned foreign researchers and teachers).
search visits, as well as visits by renowned foreign researchers and teachers).
Most important scientific results
Interim report
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
